Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 222: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

AN AFRICAN SECRET. treachery! If the cub had not died so quickly, I should have left you, for I knew that I was troubling you.” “ Do not dream of excusing yourself, Pan. It only adds to my grief. And yet, I cannot easily believe that Mr. Murdock knew what he was doing.” “You do not need to think of that now, Mr. Bradshaw.” The black’s tone of quiet assurance did much to soothe Bradshaw’s agita- tion. “IT have been utterly unmanned,’ he said, “ but I will pull myself together. What is the first thing, Pan? ” “You noticed how quickly the poison acted, Mr. Bradshaw? ”’ ‘“‘ Indeed, yes,” answered Bradshaw, with a repressed shudder. “So, then,” continued Pan, “ if it was intentional it means that we must act quickly. We should not take risks. It is right to hope that your triend meant honestly, but we should act as if he intended the mischief that would have been done.” “And that means that we should move from here at once.” “ Yes, Mr. Bradshaw. If this treach- ery should be followed by a night at- tack the trouble will come quickly.” “ And they must not find us here!” exclaimed Bradshaw, springing up with all his natural energy. He was anxious now for his men. He saw how probable it was that, if Murdock were in league with the sav- apes, as was-horribly possible, the sup- posed death of the white leader of this expedition would be followed imme- diately by the extermination of the car- riers. The men were aroused and all the pickets called in. As quietly and speed- ily as possible they got their traps to- gether and climbed up the side of the ravine whence they proceeded slowly along the crest of the ridge in the direc- tion where they presumed lay the chief _ town of the tribe. This was a strategic move agreed upon by Bradshaw and Pan on the the- 213 ory that if the savages attacked and found that the party had gone, they would infer that a retreat had been made in a contrary direction. Not much distance was traversed, for they feared to come too close to their enemies, and when a halt was made, half the men were posted as pickets, the ravine top being covered at every possible point of vantage. Then through the long night they watched and waited. No stealthy step of man or beast came to disturb them. The failure of the tribe to attack seemed no less a mystery than Mur- dock’s treachery, and the suspense was all but unbearable. Toward morning Bradshaw threw himself upon the ground and slept fit- fully till sunrise. When he opened his eyes Pan was approaching. “We chose a good place in the dark- ness,” said he; “will you come and seer” _ Bradshaw followed him among the trees that covered the hilltop to a point where there was a sheer descent of two kundred feet or more. So steep was it that no tree found rooting there and the view eastward was unimpeded. To their left lay the mouth of the ra- vine. Before them stretched a broad plain terminating in low hills upon the further side. The sun’s rays glistened upon a river that flowed from the distant hills through the plain and past a large town in the middle, the nearest houses of which seemed to be about a mile away. E,ven as they stood there they could distinguish men moving about the town and congregating in a square be- fore the largest building in the place. ‘That must be the king's house,” said Pan, “and something unusual ts going on; but if we must fight we can give them a hard battle here.” Yes,” responded Bradshaw, “ they can hardly surround us.” “Tam going to the town,” Pan con- tinued, and he began to divest himself of his civilized garmeris) 9) OO <S CO